CHAN Qualifier: Nigeria Vs Ivory Coast On 6th July 2013

Nigeria: Agbim Okonkwo, Oboabona, Egwuekwe, Kwambe, Mba, Saka, Eze, Oghenekaro, Gambo, Olorundare

COTE D'IVOIRE - Sangare, Coulibaly, Goua, Kassi, Gloudoueu, Zahouo, Lakpa, Coulibaly, Assale, Zougoula, Boua


The Super Eagles will be trying to ride over the Elephants to make a first appearance in the championship as they take on the Cote d'Ivoire home-based team in a CHAN qualifier on Saturday at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

The African Nations Championship (Chan) is the only football competition that is yet to be won by Nigeria and this weekend the home-based Super Eagles will first try to qualify for the championship which is in its third edition.

And the task will not be easy against a Cote d’Ivoire side that will majorly be made up of players from Asec Mimosas and Africa Sports. Although it must be added that the Eagles are in better stead with some of the local players that will be on the pitch been integral members of the Super Eagles team that won the Nations Cup in February.

The Eagles will have stalwarts like Godfrey Oboabona, Sunday Mba, Chigozie Agbim and Augustine Egwuekwe, all have have been in the national set-up for the last 12 months.

And expect the Eagles to play a direct game while the Elephants try to tiki-taka their way to goal. A lot will depend of the running of Mba as he tries to improve on his performance that has taken a dip since February.

Tthe two teams have met 17 times with five victories each and seven draws. Nigeria was the triumphant one in their last encounter in February at the Nations Cup in which home-based lad, Mba, scored the decisive and winning goal.